Emme: True beauty

A supermodel of single-name fame, Emme has proved to the world that full-figured women are every bit as gorgeous and sexy as their slimmer sisters. We caught up with her when she was seven months pregnant with her first child.

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A supermodel of single-name fame, Emme has proved to the world that full-figured women are every bit as gorgeous and sexy as their slimmer sisters. She’s also a TV host, has her own fashion line and co-authored True Beauty: Positive Attitudes and Practical Tips From the World’s Leading Plus-Size Model. We caught up with Emme in her New York office when she was seven months pregnant with her first child.

Fit Pregnancy: You’re still working on 47 projects at once. Why aren’t you exhausted?

Emme: Actually, I am tired. Normally I’m like the Energizer bunny. Now I’ll say, “I need to lie down for 15 minutes” and wake up three hours later, drooling. It was worse during my first trimester. My husband is my manager and he was always saying, “Uh, sorry, she can’t make that appointment.”

“... she’s busy drooling right now.” You’re famous for helping women get comfortable with their bodies. Has your body image changed with pregnancy?

I thought I’d freak out because I’d had such a distorted body image as a kid. I normally weigh 190 to 200. Now I’m heavier than I’ve ever been but instead of freaking out, I’ve been blown away by the miracle of a woman’s body doing what it’s designed to do.

Any morning sickness?

More like motion sickness. Every time my boobs moved, I had to lie down.

Have you designed any great maternity wear for yourself?

Not really — I’ve mostly just gone up a size in my regular line. Danskin has great black velour pants. On top, I wear knitwear or jersey from my sportswear line and let it cling to my belly. And I wear some of my tight dresses with low-slung rhinestone belts. I’m not into hiding.

No tents.

No tents. Actually, the best thing was finding thong underwear. Mimi Maternity has one that fits perfectly. I also wear a very sexy nightgown — lace with Lycra — it makes me feel curvaceous. It’s much more fun than what I normally wear, which is a T-shirt or men’s pajamas or nothing. In my last trimester, I wanted something sexy and fun. Gotta keep that love alive.

How will you juggle work and a baby?

I’ve already pulled back some. There were TV projects offered that I would’ve loved to do. But we’ve waited a long time for this pregnancy. I’ve had some miscarriages, and I’m 37. I’ll be making adjustments, and people are going to have to understand …